1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to context-based user assistance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Existing user assistance technologies are elementary in their delivery of user assistance. User Assistance (e.g., in the form of online help) is traditionally presented in a static format. For example, HyperText Markup Language (HTML) files are typically used to present user assistance content within web browsers or customized tools.
In addition, recent technologies, such as the Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA), an XML-based technology, have been used to provide more structure and substance to delivery of user assistance content. However, there are limitations to these technologies due to the lack of information about the context in which the user assistance is provided.
For example, products that require a user to enter data into configurable elements (e.g., parameters) may provide basic information about required inputs to the configurable elements, but these products may not provide much guidance about how configurable elements interact. For example, if a user inquires about a specific configurable element in a system, the assistance may define the configurable element, how the configurable element is used, and give recommended values for the configurable element, without providing content on how that configurable element interacts with other configurable elements.
There are some existing user assistance technologies that provide some level of sophistication in their delivery of user assistance content. For example, the IBM eServer iSeries Information Center, available from International Business Machines Corporation, leads the user through a questionnaire and produces a custom checklist for the user. As another example, an offline configurator limits future configuration choices for the user based upon existing choices for compatibility. As an example, the IBM TotalStorage DS6000 Information Center and the IBM TotalStorage DS8000 Information Center, available from International Business Machines Corporation, have information on how to use offline configurators that may be accessed via the Information Centers.
Existing user assistance technologies, however, do not exhibit the kind of intelligence that provides guidance to the user regarding the context in which the configurable element is used, which would provide valuable information to the user regarding the operation or tuning of the system. Users are often required to use a trial-and-error approach to determine how overall product tuning and performance is impacted by configuration changes. Thus, there is a need for online help to provide users with more detailed information about the interaction of configurable elements before the changes are deployed in a live system.